Area blood banks' inventories dangerously low

NORTH COUNTY —— The region's blood centers are making urgent
appeals for blood donations, saying their current inventories are
dangerously low.

The San Diego Blood Bank, in particular, needs to beef up its
supply after sending a large shipment of blood to hurricane-damaged
Florida. San Diego Blood Bank spokeswoman Lynn Stedd said the
organization had just 338 units of blood on its shelf Tuesday.

That compares to the 400 units distributed by the blood bank on
an average day, she said. The local inventory also falls far short
of the five- to seven-day supply recommended by the American
Association of Blood Banks since 9/11, Stedd said.

"This is not a good situation to be in should an emergency
occur," Stedd said. "There could very well be people who would go
without blood if a mass-casualty situation occurred here."

The American Red Cross Blood Service's local bank was in asomewhat better position, with spokesman Stephen Whitburn reportinga three-day supply of six of eight different types of blood.

As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, however, the agency had only a six-hour
supply of O-negative type blood and an eight-hour supply of
B-negative type blood, he said.

"Those are critically low levels and certainly we would
encourage people who know they have (those types) to donate blood
as soon as possible," Whitburn said.

Anyone who is at least 17, in generally good health and weighs
at least 110 pounds may qualify to donate blood. For information
about donating to the San Diego Blood Bank, call (800) 4MY-SDBB or
visit www.sandiegobloodbank.org. For information about donating to
American Red Cross Blood Services, call (800) GIVE-LIFE.

Both organizations collect blood and blood components from
donors, then process, test and distribute those products to
hospitals throughout the county. Palomar Medical Center in
Escondido, Pomerado Hospital in Poway, Tri-City Medical Center in
Oceanside, and Scripps Memorial Hospital, Encinitas, all receive
blood products from the regional blood centers.

Each hospital maintains its own blood stock, as well. The entire
system's supply needs constant replacement, though, as it is used
by patients or reaches the end of its 42-day shelf life, Stedd
said.

Blood is typically classified as one of eight basic "types,"
according to its immunilogical properties. Type O positive is most
common in the United States, found in about 38 percent of the
population.

The different immunilogical properties mean some blood types can
be transfused into people who have that blood type, while others
cannot. Type O blood can be given to people with any type of blood,
making it the "universal" blood type; donors with that blood type
are therefore especially sought after.

Shortages of one or more types force the blood bank and Red
Cross to ask other blood agencies for help. Florida's blood banks
did just that after the state was hit by Hurricane Wilma, which
shut down blood-collection centers at a time when the state had a
high number of sick and injured patients.

Although its own blood supply was low at the time, the San Diego
Blood Bank had enough Type A-positive blood, so the organization
sent some east, Stedd said.

With the holidays approaching, though, blood bank officials fear
they will not have enough blood for this community because
donations typically drop off during that period, she said. In such
a situation, a major freeway pileup that sends multiple victims to
area trauma centers might be all it takes for the local blood
supply system to break down, she and Whitburn said.

Gerald Bracht, chief administrative officer for Palomar Medical
Center, which has North County's only trauma center, said he takes
warnings about low blood stocks very seriously.

"It concerns me because we have … unscheduled major traumatic
surgeries that might come in," Bracht said. "We want to have the
blood available. … And you never know: It might be yourself that
you're donating to."

To donate blood:

The San Diego Blood Bank's North County donor centers are at
1340 W. Valley Parkway in Escondido and 161 Thunder Drive in Vista.
Call (800) 4MY-SDBB or visit www.sandiegobloodbank.org for an
appointment or information.

The American Red Cross' North County donor center is at 460 E.
Pennsylvania Ave.; the agency also has several bloodmobiles in the
area. For an appointment or information, call (800) GIVE-LIFE
(800-448-3543).

Palomar Medical Center will host an American Red Cross blood
drive from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 30. To register, call (800)
GIVE-LIFE (800-448-3543) or go to www.sdarc.org and click on "blood
services department," then "make an appointment."